Democratic Party

You’re Not Helping

Another sign that the Occupy movement might be losing its way as it's hijacked by libertarians and anarchists.

TPM has learned a group of DC Occupiers plan to hold a demonstration outside a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee high-dollar fundraiser for, among other members, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ).

The event (which comes with a $75,000 PAC sponsorship price; the cheapest ticket is $5,000) will feature speeches from all the top leaders of the House Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and DCCC chair Steve Israel. [...]

On its website, OccupyDC calls the event “elitist” and “indicative of how the Democrats represent a major part of our government’s failure to represent 99% of its citizenry.” This is ironic considering the Democrats inside the closed-to-the-public and closed-to-the-press fundraiser are among the most vocal supporters of the Occupy movement in politics.

Protesting a DCCC fundraiser does nothing to "change the conversation" when those in attendance are already discussing the things you want them to discuss.

Jobs. Taxing the rich and shameless. Financial regulations.

Nancy Pelosi even presided over the most sweeping regulation of Wall Street in decades while she was Speaker of the House, which President Obama later signed into law.

And "elitist?"

Do you think the Democratic Party, or anyone else for that matter, can defeat the Right Wing Noise Machine without fundraising? They will be lucky to out-pace Corporate America's new-found power following the Supreme Court's ruling on Citizens United.

And this idea that a PAC fundraiser means Democrats do not represent the 99 percent is utterly nonsensical. An overwhelming majority of President Obama's re-election funds have come from people like you and I. Individual donors making small donations of between 5 and 50 dollars each. The Obama campaign has already received donations from over 1 million individuals and it's not even 2012 yet.

Furthermore, you won't find a single politician in existence who doesn't schmooze and booze with a who's who list of lobbyists, think-tank presidents, pundits, and CEOs. Who they shoot the shit with after a long day of listening to conservative blowhards explain why we need to outlaw abortion in congress doesn't matter. What matters is their voting record and the legislation they have personally supported or opposed.

Review the record, and you will find the Democratic Party ardently supports, or has passed, legislation that benefits the majority of America.